32 Anniversary 



extensive plantations. On the south side beyond the haugh-land 

 the ruins of Dilston Castle were just visible amid stately trees ; 

 while between, and closing the view westward, appeared the 

 ancient town of Hexham with its wooded environs. 



After breakfast the party started for the day's walk under the 

 guidance of Mr Eobert Forster, a resident in the town and 

 author of a "History of Oorbridge and its Antiquities, &c. " 

 Attention was first directed to a Peel Tower at the north-east 

 corner of the Market Place, and adjoining the churchyard. It is 

 said to have been built early in the fourteenth century, and was 

 formerly the residence of the vicars of Oorbridge. Erected for 

 defence, and of great strength, it no doubt served as a refuge for 

 successive ecclesiastics in former troublous times ; especially when 

 in their reprisals on the English, bands of Scotch marauders in- 

 vaded Northumberland, carrying death to such inhabitants as 

 they found unprotected, and driving away their cattle as booty 

 to the north of the border. The Parish Church, dedicated to St. 

 Andrew, is the most interesting object in Oorbridge, and even 

 our cursory visit of it, which was all that the other work of 

 the day permitted, occupied a considerable time. It is impossible 

 here to give a full account of this structure, the greater part of 

 which dates probably from the thirteenth century, and which in 

 its earlier days was repeatedly reduced to ruins by the invading 

 Scots ; but the part which attracted most attention during our 

 brief visit was the square tower which rises at the west end, 

 and is undoubtedly more ancient than the rest of the church. It 

 is reckoned by some to be of Saxon architecture, and the quarry 

 whence its materials were taken was the old Eoman Station of 

 Corstopitum close to the town. The blocks of stone are massive 

 and bear the characteristic marks of Eoman workmanship. The 

 base of the tower is used as a baptistery, and is entered by a 

 semicircTilar archway of the unusual proportions of eight feet in 

 width by sixteen in height. All the stones visible in this arch- 

 way, and the mouldings from which the arch itself springs, are 

 Eoman, and were probably transferred directly from the Eoman 

 Station to the Christian Church. Much of the floor of the 

 Church consists of tomb-stones, many of them bearing inscrip- 

 tions. On one is a floriated cross in relief, and alongside of this 

 is sculptured a pastoral staff or crook, supposed to be the insignia 

 of an ancient ecclesiastic. I am indebted to Mr Hardy for the 

 f oUowing interesting and elaborate note on one of the monumental 



